US President Barack Obama lands in Mumbai

Agencies

Mumbai, 06 November 2010: The President of the United States of America, Barack Obama, landed at Mumbai airport at about 12:48 PM on Saturday. Air Force One touched down at Mumbai’s Chhattrapati Shivaji International Airport following its flight from Washington DC and a brief stopover at Ramstein in Germany for refueling.

 

Obama and US first lady Michelle Obama came out of Air Force One waving at the dignitaries who had come to receive them. Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan along with Protocol Minister Suresh Shetty and Union Corporate and Minority Affairs Minister Salman Khursheed, who will be the minister-in-waiting, Indian Ambassador in the US Meera Shankar received the US President. Chavan presented a memento to the US President.

 

After meeting the dignitaries present at the airport including the US Ambassador to India, Timothy Roemer, he boarded a Black Hawk helicopter that took him them to INS Shikra from where he will be taken to the Taj Hotel in Colaba. His staff was flown in Chinook helicopters.

 

 

Obama’s three-day tour will also take him to Delhi where he will hold talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and address both houses of Parliament. During his stay in Mumbai, Obama is expected to attend the memorial service for the victims of 26/11 at Taj Hotel - one of the targets of the terror attack.

 

He will then visit the Gandhi Museum and address the US-India Business Chambers before retiring for the night at the Taj Hotel. He is the third US President to visit India in the last 10 years and sixth overall. The other US presidents to visit India are Dwight Eisenhower, Richard Nixon, Jimmy Carter, Bill Clinton and George W Bush.

 

Obama’s itinerary:

 

Obama has a packed itinerary during his three-day visit in India.

During his Mumbai leg of the tour, Obama is expected to attend the memorial service for the victims of 26/11 at the iconic Taj Hotel - one of the targets of the terror attack.

He will then visit the Gandhi Museum and address the US-India Business Chambers before retiring for the night at the Taj Hotel.

On Sunday, the US president will join Diwali celebrations at a school in Mumbai and then attend a Townhall meeting at Mumbai University.

On the same day he will leave for Delhi where he will visit Humayun’s Tomb

Obama is also scheduled to meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi. After meeting Sonia he will attend two receptions - one hosted by the US Ambassador at Roosevelt House and the second by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Obama will begin his third and final day with a visit to Rajghat and then proceed to a bilateral meeting with the Prime Minister. The two leaders will then address a joint press conference. Obama will also be addressing the India-US CEO’s forum before he heads to Parliament to address both houses.

Obama’s next stop will be Rashtrapati Bhawan where he will be accorded a ceremonial welcome and meet President Pratibha Patil.

The meeting will be followed by a Presidential Banquet.